1. Field of the Invention.
This invention relates to trash compactors and more particularly, to a trash compactor that accommodates liquid that may be included with the trash to prevent the liquid from spilling out of the trash compactor and contaminating the surrounding area.
2. Description of the Prior Art.
Collecting and transporting trash from urban areas has become a major industry throughout the civilized world. Because trash must be transported from urban areas to areas where it can be left in landfills or otherwise disposed of, an important function in transporting trash is to first compact it so as to reduce the volume required to transport a given weight of waste material.
Trash compactors have been utilized in shopping centers and shopping malls so that the tenants of such retail establishments can compact trash and have it hauled away with efficiency. Unfortunately, trash that is compacted in such compactors often has liquid that escapes the compactor and contaminates the area around the trash compactor creating unsanitary conditions. To date, no successful way has been found to provide a trash compactor that accommodates the liquid within the trash, keeps it from spilling in the area of the trash compactor, and provides for the disposal of the liquid at the landfill or other site where the compacted trash is dumped.
The present invention provides a trash compactor that overcomes the disadvantages of earlier trash compactors so that any liquid in the trash that is compacted is received within a reservoir built into the portion of the trash compactor that is hauled to the disposal site. When at the disposal site, the reservoir may be emptied of the liquid that has been retained in it.